Getting inside Colorado Springs
by Dr. Michaela Quinn
Summary: This story is for new Doctor Quinn fans, or for those who have never seen the show but do read the stories. Each chapter will give more insight into a specific character from any season. All main characters included.
1. Intro

**A/N: The main purpose of this story is to let those who aren't necessarily Dr. Quinn watchers get to know who the characters are from all seasons 1-6. As well as those who are new to Doctor Quinn. =) **

A stranger to the territory came into town one morning before dawn. He had been told this would be a good place to look into for his company's next expansion. As he walked around Colorado Springs, it looked like a ghost town. The town was so quiet and nobody walked around outside. The only sound he could hear was the sound of the wind and his own breath. What was going on? Why was this town going to be so good for business? As the sun rose, he heard birds chirping as they awoke. Then the town started to awaken. He saw the barber open his shop. An older man came out and turned around a sign. Then a red haired woman walked across from the shop to another small building. What is the story with all these people? Maybe this town wouldn't be so bad. It seemed like a quiet town and that's exactly what they needed. He walked toward the shop. There was the older man walking around and a young woman sat at a desk across the room from him. She smiled and nodded. He tipped his hat at her. The older man walked over to him.

"Oh what do you want?" The older man asked.

"Excuse me. I'm looking for the person who can help me find a place to stay around these parts." He replied. The older man scowled.

"Sully would have to show you. He knows this land better than anybody." The man said.

"Where would I find this Sully?" The young woman stood up.

"Oh! I can take you out to Doctor Mike and Sully's place."

"Thank you ma'am." He said and they walked out to a wagon and got on it. As they drove he studied the young woman. "How long have you been here? You have that thick drawl, I don't think it sounds like it's from out here." He said with a smile. She looked over at him.

"You're right. I'm not originally from Colorado Springs. I moved here recently. I'm the town seamstress. I'm Emma." She said. He smiled again.

"Hello Emma. I'm Jonathan." He replied. Finally, the wagon stopped and they were in front of a house.

"Well Jonathan; this is Doctor Mike and Sully's place. They should be awake. With Katie, nobody really sleeps around here anymore." Emma said with a smile.

"Thank you again for bringing me out here Emma." Emma nodded and rode back into town. Jonathan walked up to the door and knocked on it. A woman holding a small infant opened the door.

"Hello?" She asked. He took off his hat.

"Hello. I'm looking for a Doctor Mike and a Sully?" Jonathan questioned. The woman turned around.

"Ma!" She exclaimed. An older woman walked over to the door.

"Hello, I'm Dr. Quinn; who are you?" She asked.

"Ma'am. I am here on business. I was told that a Sully could help me find some land to stay on." He stated. A man walked up behind her.

"Michaela, you stay here. I can show him what he wants." The man said.

"Are you Mr. Sully?" Jonathan asked. He nodded.

"Yep. Let's go." Sully and Jonathan walked out of the house, down the porch steps and out of eye sight.


	2. Dr Mike

**A/N: Would it be proper to really start a story like this with anybody BESIDES the wonderful Doctor Michaela Quinn? :D I think not. I won't be the exception. =) I will give a little bit of background, but then write a chapter for the story that shows a lot of what I talk about for personality and stuff. These chapters are not in any particular year! I could choose any different time or place for these to take place! The first one takes place probably around Season Five.**

Doctor Michaela Quinn was a very complex person, but she was also very open when it came to friends and family. Growing up in the home of her father, Doctor Josef Quinn, only made her want to become a doctor when she got older. She was the youngest of five girls born to Josef and Elizabeth Quinn. Her father wanted a son named Michael; therefore his fifth daughter was named Michaela. She received her degree from the Women's Medical College of Pennsylvania. Michaela worked beside her father until he died and then she moved to Colorado Springs. At first, she wasn't accepted by the town because they weren't used to the idea of a female doctor out west. Finally, she won them over and is living among them and doctoring all the people of this little town with husband Byron Sully, son Brian Cooper, daughter Katie Sully and daughter, Colleen Cooper when she's home from college.

Michaela sat in a chair by the fire. Her eyes were drooping and she was practically asleep in the chair. Colleen walked into the room and chuckled at her. Colleen touched her shoulder.

"Ma?" Colleen said but Michaela didn't move. "Ma?" Michaela jumped about a mile out of the chair. Colleen laughed again.

"What's the matter? Is it Katie? What's going on?" Michaela asked.

"Katie's fine Ma. She's asleep just where you left her. I came over here because you were sleeping and I think you would feel better if you went to your bedroom and got to lie down and go to sleep." Colleen replied.

"I was just waiting for Sully to get home. He's been gone for a really long time." Michaela turned in the chair.

"It may take him awhile. He and Matthew took Jonathan to look for some land. Sully will know just where to take him. They should be back soon Ma. You just get some rest. Sully wouldn't be happy with me if I didn't try. Come on." Michaela stood up and looked at her oldest daughter.

"Shouldn't you be packing to go back to school?" Michaela asked. Colleen laughed.

"Ma, I'm already packed and ready to go. Don't worry about me; you should be going to bed." Colleen replied. Michaela stood up and walked towards the stairs when the door burst open. Michaela and Colleen stopped. Leaning up against the door was Loren Bray. Standing there with him was Dorothy Jennings and Brian.

"Loren! What's the matter?" Michaela asked.

"He got hurt. He tripped in the store. Mr. Bray didn't realize that something was on the floor and he tripped and hit himself pretty bad Ma. I think he might have internal bleeding." Brian said. Michaela walked over to him.

"Let's get him to the clinic." Michaela said.

"Ma! You can't go. You were almost asleep just a few minutes ago." Colleen exclaimed. Michaela looked at her, she was now wide awake.

"Colleen, Loren needs help. If he has internal bleeding he may not make it through the night." Michaela replied. Michaela, Brian and Dorothy helped Loren out of the house and into the wagon. Michaela looked at Colleen.

"Can you please stay here with Katie?" Michaela asked. Colleen nodded. They rushed to the clinic and got Loren on the table. "Brian, I need you to go outside." Michaela said.

"Why Ma? I can help you even if Colleen isn't here." Brian said.

"Brian, please do what your Ma says. Go outside and wait for us." Dorothy said.

"Why can't I help?" Brian asked. Michaela looked at him.

"Please Brian. I have to evaluate him before we cut into him." Michaela said.

"Oh let him stay!" Loren exclaimed. "I don't have anything to hide. Come here boy." Brian walked over to Loren.

[

Hours later, Michaela was back at the house with Katie and Brian. She was sleeping when Sully walked through the front door with Matthew.

"Brian, where's your Ma?" Sully asked. Brian looked up from his book.

"She's upstairs sleeping." Brian replied.

"No I'm not Brian. I just got up." Michaela walked down the stairs. She saw Sully and ran over to him. "I'm so glad to see you! I got so worried about you because you weren't home. I kept messing things up at the clinic. After a while Colleen and Andrew had to send me home to rest."

"Where is Colleen? Has her train left already?" Sully questioned.

"I guess so." Michaela replied. "When I saw her last she was still here."

"Well I'm sure Andrew took her to the train station so she wasn't alone." Sully replied. "I think Dr. Cook is quite fond of our Colleen don't you think?" Michaela smiled her beautiful white smile.

"Sully, are you worried about Colleen?"

"I'm just nervous that she might be getting into something a little over her head." Sully stated.

"David and I were just like Colleen and Andrew when we first started courting. I was up at the Women's Medical College. I only came home once or twice a month. I saw him every time I was home." Michaela paused. "Up until he joined in the Civil War. We got engaged when I was in school, and I was terribly upset when I found out he'd been killed in battle. But I don't think my life would be the same as it is now if I'd have married David."

"Do you ever regret that? David came for you, and still you chose me." Sully said.

"Sully, I love you, I love the children and our life together. I don't regret anything I've done in that regard." Michaela responded.

"Okay." Sully said with a smile.


	3. Sully

**A/N: It was difficult deciding who to put after the famous Dr. Mike but I decided that the only person who would go after her perfectly would be Mr. Byron Sully. =) Hope that's okay with all of you. Deciding the order was probably the hardest part of this whole thing for me. This chapter takes place during Season Two**

Byron Sully was married to the daughter of Loren and Maude Bray; Abigail before the Civil War. When she died in child birth along with their daughter Hannah, Sully joined the military and was a soldier during the war, but left the military shortly after and joined the Cheyenne Indians in their tribe by Colorado Springs. This is where Sully first met Michaela when she came to the Colorado Territory.

Sully wasn't sure what to do. He loved Michaela, but she didn't seem to love him. He wanted to tell her how he felt, but she seemed to be so guarded. Maybe if they took a walk after dinner, he could tell her exactly how he felt and see how she felt about him. They might feel the same way about each other. Then the other issue, what about Abigail? Had it been long enough since Abigail died to even think about another woman? He had truly loved her, she was the woman he wanted to be with but she had died. Did that give him the privilege or right to move on with his life? He never wanted to forget about Abigail. Michaela would never take her place, but was it alright for him to feel something for her? Sully stopped pacing. He didn't even know how Michaela felt about him. Why was he worrying so much about this? He stopped right where he was and looked down at Wolf, who was pacing with him. Sully decided now was the time to head over to the homestead to talk to Michaela. If he was really early for dinner maybe he could talk to her beforehand. Colleen does most of the cooking anyway; maybe she could finish this one meal for Michaela so they could talk.

Sully walked towards the homestead and when he got there, Matthew was outside with Ingrid. They were both smiling.

_"I remember when that was me and Abigail standing outside her parents' house for Sunday dinner."_ Sully thought to himself. As he got closer and Ingrid saw him, she pulled away from Matthew. Sully laughed.

"Ingrid, you and Matthew don't have to hide from all of us. We know how you feel about each other. There are just many things you shouldn't be doing right now." Sully said.

"Oh I know those things! They are for marriage." Ingrid replied with a nod. Sully nodded at her. Ingrid wasn't the one he was worried about. Mainly it was Matthew, but he wasn't Matthew's father.

"Is Dr. Mike here?" Sully asked Matthew. Matthew looked at him and nodded.

"Yeah, she's here. Colleen is trying to teach her how to cook again. I don't think she'll ever really learn." Matthew said with a laugh.

"If I can learn, your Ma can learn Matthew." Ingrid said with her thick European accent.

"Well, you're different than Doctor Mike, Ingrid." Matthew replied. Sully walked inside before he could hear any more from Matthew and Ingrid. When he walked into the house, he saw Brian sitting at the table doing homework while Colleen and Michaela made dinner. Brian looked up from the book.

"Sully!" Brian exclaimed. Michaela and Colleen turned around.

"Hey Sully." Colleen said. Sully nodded.

"Colleen, Brian, Michaela." Sully paused. "Colleen, do you mind if I talk to your Ma for a while? Outside?" Colleen nodded no.

"No, of course I don't mind. I can handle everything in here. Go on Dr. Mike." Colleen stated. Michaela walked out of the homestead with him. They walked down into the woods away from the house.

"Sully, what's going on?" Michaela asked.

"Michaela." Sully tried and then stopped. She looked at him.

"What's wrong Sully?" Michaela questioned. He sighed and looked at her.

"I don't know what is so difficult about this for me to get out." He paused. "Michaela, I have had trouble with the idea of ever loving another woman again when I lost my wife and daughter. But when you came to Colorado Springs all those things started to change. I know that nothing can replace the feeling of loss I have for Abigail, but I love you Michaela; I want us to have a life together. We can raise the children together." Michaela stood in awe.

"Sully, I don't know what to say." Michaela said.

"Then don't say anything right now. I just wanted to tell you how I felt." Sully replied.

"Okay. Right now time can be a wonderful friend to us Sully. I'm not sure how long it'll take me to sort out my feelings, but I will."

"That's all anybody can ask of you Michaela." Sully said. They walked up back towards the homestead. When they got to the door, Matthew and Ingrid weren't there anymore. When they walked in, everybody was sitting around the table waiting for them to eat. "An already made family." Sully joked. Colleen and Brian didn't understand and looked at Sully funny. Sully noticed this. "It's just a joke because me and your Ma."

"Oh okay." Brian said. Sully and Michaela sat down to eat. After the prayer, Michaela looked up and her eyes connected with Sully's. They'd probably done this a million times, but none of them meant as much as it did just then.

**A/N: I know that Sully finally told Michaela he loved her and she him in the episode **_**The Washington Affair **_**in Season Three. But I'm just changing it up a little bit.**


	4. Matthew

**A/N: Well, I decided that the next chapter after Dr. Mike and Sully should probably be the children. So this chapter is about the oldest of the Cooper kids. ~Matthew~. This chapter takes place during Season One. Matthew's age is one I'm not sure about, so please bear with me.**

Matthew Cooper was sixteen years old when he stood there and watched his mother die. He was the oldest of his brother and sister. He watched out for them all the time. Matthew had been the man of his home for quite some time when his father ran out on them taking their mother's money sock. They got along for several years after that, until their Ma died and left the children to Doctor Quinn, who was new in town at the time. Matthew resented Dr. Mike for a long time because she was the doctor who attended to his mother right before she died. He didn't understand why she didn't do something to help her, but he was starting to get used to the idea.

"Brian!" Colleen exclaimed one morning. Matthew had just walked in the front door of the homestead to find his guardian trying to cook, and his siblings fighting. Matthew got in between them.

"Stop it both of you! What is going on?" Matthew asked. Brian leaned against Matthew.

"I'm sorry Matthew. I didn't mean to upset you." Brian said.

"Me either." Colleen stated looking at the ground.

"That's not the problem. What's going on with you two? All you do is argue lately." Matthew said. Colleen looked up at him.

"Brian was talking about how Ma wasn't our Ma anymore because Doctor Mike took us in." Colleen said.

"That's not true!" Brian shot back. Matthew sat down at the table. He had Brian sit on his lap.

"Brian, Ma will always be our Ma. Doctor Mike might have taken us in when she died, but nobody will ever replace her. Do you understand?" Matthew asked.

"I think I can fix this." Michaela said as she walked over. "Brian, you call me Ma because your Ma isn't here anymore right?" Brian nodded and Michaela slightly smiled. "Colleen and Matthew; you're both older and thinking I'm trying to replace your Ma?" Neither Colleen or Matthew looked up at her. "I'll take that as a yes." She leaned down and touched Brian's hand. "Brian, I love you dearly and I don't mind if you call me Ma, but you do still have a Ma and I won't ever replace her. Charlotte was a good woman." Brian stood up.

"I need to be getting off to school." Brian said grabbing his books.

"Don't you want some breakfast?" Michaela asked. Brian looked in the pan. The liquid was dark brown and scorched in several places. Brian's stomach rumbled but he ignored it.

"No, I'm fine Ma." Brian darted out the door.

"I should be going too." Colleen said picking up her books and walking out the door. Matthew stood up and Michaela walked over to him.

"Thank you for helping with Brian and Colleen. I didn't want to get into that argument really because I know there is still a lot of pain with the loss of your Ma." Michaela said.

"It's alright Doctor Mike. I've got it under control." Matthew said.

"You don't have to be the brave one for the family Matthew. You may be the oldest, but that doesn't mean everything has to fall on you. Let me try and help you." Michaela replied. Matthew looked at her.

"You don't know me, or Colleen, or Brian. Just leave us alone. You don't know what it's like to lose a parent." Matthew responded.

"Oh, but I do Matthew. My father died several years ago. He was the only person who ever wanted me to practice medicine. He was my world. I loved him. He treated me like a professional rather than somebody crazy." Michaela said.

"It's not the same thing. Now I need to go. I've got a lot of work to do in the barn today. Then I told Miss Olive I'd go out and help her with the cattle." Matthew stated and walked out of the house. Matthew wasn't really a person who cried. He had his moments, but he felt that crying was for people who were weak and he didn't want to be one of them. He saw Colleen and Brian crying a lot since their Ma died; yet Matthew didn't let one single tear out. Maybe that was part of his anger against Doctor Mike. He never let the hurt from his Ma's death out, so any time Doctor Mike tried to be motherly it just lit a fuse inside of Matthew. When he made it to the barn he was furious. Matthew started to rake out the hay from the horses in the barn. Then he bashed the rake down to the ground.

"Why did she have to die? Pa already left us. Why Ma too?" Matthew just kept thinking in his head over and over as he did the work. Matthew picked up the rake and slammed it against the wall of the barn. Feeling a little bit of relief, Matthew put the rake down and continued with his other daily chores. He continued to think about his Ma and Pa, which only made him more upset. After a little while, he sat down and finally let out a few tears. They were hot and stung his cheeks as they came down out of his eyes.

"Why? Why?" Matthew exclaimed. Matthew stood up and rammed himself into the wall. He hit the wall and fell back with a THUD. He didn't see anything before he closed his eyes.

Sully had been walking to the homestead and heard the thud. He ran inside to see what it was. Sully saw Matthew lying there and rushed into the homestead.

"Michaela!" He hollered. She rushed over to him.

"Sully? What's the matter?" Michaela asked.

"It's Matthew. He's in the barn. He looks hurt." Sully stated.

"Let me get my bag." Michaela grabbed her doctoring bag off the table and ran out to the barn with Sully. She gasped when she saw Matthew lying helplessly on the floor. "What happened?"

"I don't know. I heard a loud thud, when I made it in here; he was lying on the ground like he is now." Sully stated. Matthew tried to stand up.

"No Matthew, don't try to get up. I need to see what's wrong before I let you move." Michaela said. She started to inspect Matthew.

"What's the matter?" Sully questioned. Michaela looked up at him.

"There doesn't seem to be any broken bones. Do you think we can get him inside the house?" Michaela asked. Sully and Michaela took him into the house and laid him on the table. Michaela began an even more thorough examination. After about ten minutes, she walked back over to Sully.

"Well?"

"He's not really hurt. I think he broke his arm. It was the side he was laying on outside and I couldn't really investigate it, but now I can tell it's definitely broken." Michaela said.

"What are you going to do?" Sully asked.

"First I'm going to give this young man a good talking to, and then I'll take care of his arm." Michaela replied as she crossed her arms. Matthew started to wake up. Michael and Sully walked over to him.

"Sully? Doctor Mike?" Matthew asked looking at them.

"What happened Matthew? You worried your Ma and me sick! We found you in the barn." Sully stated. Matthew cringed.

"That's the problem." He jumped up.

"Be careful Matthew." Michaela said.

"She's NOT my Ma." Matthew pointed towards Michaela with his good arm. "She may be able to take Ma's place to Brian, and even in some parts of Colleen; but not me. No sir." Matthew responded.

"I'm not trying to Matthew. Your mother asked me to raise you for her. That's all I'm doing." Michaela stated.

"Well you're doing a pretty convincing job of taking over. Yes, I have to listen to you because of what my Ma said, but you are not my Ma. You all just don't understand. I'M the oldest. I have to take care of Brian and Colleen. When Pa first left that put a huge hole in our family that I was supposed to fix. I tried my best, and Ma never complained about it; but now with Ma gone," Matthew paused. "I can't be Ma, Pa, and big brother to Colleen and Brian. That's what they are looking for. I have held in these feelings for a long time. I know we haven't been with you very long Doctor Mike, but when we lived with Ma when Pa left; that's when it started."

"Oh Matthew, you don't have to hold your emotions inside. Let me help you take care of your brother and sister. You guys don't have to call me Ma. Just let me be there for all of you. And to start that off, let me take care of your arm." Michaela responded. Matthew sighed and sat back down at the table.


	5. Colleen

**A/N: I contemplated whether or not to put Ingrid before Colleen, but thanks to a good friend **_**Scifiromance**_** I decided to put Colleen right after Matthew. =) This is Season Two.**

Colleen Cooper is the middle child of Charlotte and Ethan Cooper. She was fourteen years old when she lost her mother. Colleen was very close to her mother and then when she passed away, she clung to Doctor Mike. Ever since the doctor took in them in Colleen has helped her in the clinic being a medical assistant and at the homestead as the primary cook. Colleen wants to go to the medical college that Doctor Mike attended to become a physician too.

Colleen, Brian, and the other children were sitting in school one morning listening to Reverend Johnson talk about their reading assignments before lunch. Finally, the children were released for lunch.

"Colleen, can you come here for a minute?" Reverend Johnson asked. Colleen looked at Becky and then back at the Reverend.

"Sure." Colleen walked over to him. "What's the matter?"

"I just wanted to talk to you Colleen." He picked up some papers. "That math test you took last week? You got the highest grade of the entire class. I just wanted to congratulate you. That was a hard test. Doctor Quinn told me how hard you studied for it. I'm glad to see that your studying paid off." Colleen smiled.

"Yeah, she helped me a lot. I am really going to have to do well in math if I want to be a doctor." Colleen stated. Reverend Johnson nodded.

"You're right Colleen. And I'm sure you'll make a fine doctor. Just like Doctor Quinn."

"Can I go outside to eat my lunch now? And maybe I can stop by the clinic really quickly to pick up a book from Doctor Mike. I was studying it last night, but I left it over there this morning." Colleen stated. Reverend Johnson nodded again.

"As long as you hurry back over here, I don't see why you can't go get it." Colleen scurried out of the school building and over to the clinic. She burst in the door and saw Doctor Mike sitting at the desk.

"Colleen! What are you doing here?" She asked. Colleen stopped.

"I'm sorry Doctor Mike. When I was over here this morning I left my book upstairs." Colleen rushed upstairs to get her book. Just then, Loren and Dorothy walked in with Jake.

"Something's wrong with Jake Michaela. Can you take a look at him? He was in the barber shop and then he just fell over in pain." Dorothy stated. Michaela helped them get him up on the table. Colleen came down the stairs with her book. When she saw Jake laying there with Doctor Mike attending to him she rushed over and sat the book on the table. Colleen washed her hands in the basin and got some of Doctor Mike's tools out of her medicine bag. Michaela looked at her.

"Colleen, you can go back over to the school. I can handle this by myself." Michaela said. Colleen pushed some hair out of her face.

"We're on lunch. I'm staying to help you. I always help you." Colleen said.

"Okay, well," Michaela looked up at Dorothy. "What's the matter?"

"His appendix was giving him trouble just last week wasn't it? I thought he told me he came over here for it." Loren said." Michaela thought back.

"Yeah, he did Doctor Mike. You gave him some antibiotics." Colleen said. Michaela looked down at him.

"Maybe I should have brought him in for surgery instead of giving him the medicines. Then he wouldn't be in pain now." Doctor Mike stated.

"Are you sure? How can you tell?" Colleen asked. "I thought you didn't want to do surgery on somebody unless you thought you absolutely had to."

"I don't Colleen, but maybe I should have considered Jake's appendix a have to." Michaela replied.

"Maybe we should wait outside Dorothy." Loren walked Dorothy outside as Colleen and Michaela prepped for surgery side by side.

After a few hours, Michaela had taken out Jake's appendix. Colleen took a towel and dabbed it on Michaela's forehead. While Michaela washed her hands, Colleen went outside the clinic door. Loren was standing while Dorothy was on the bench.

"He came through the surgery just fine. Doctor Mike says that he should be ready to go home in about a week." She smiled and laughed a little.

"A week? I was supposed to get a shave tomorrow! What a sad way of trying to get out of giving people haircuts. I bet he wasn't even sick!" Loren exclaimed. Michaela walked out behind Colleen.

"That's a bet you'd lose Mr. Bray. Jake Slicker was very sick. I'm glad you brought him in so that Colleen and I could help him." Michaela said.

"Can we see him now?" Dorothy asked.

"Sure. Colleen will you show them what recovery room Jake is in?" Michaela asked.

"Of course." Colleen walked in the clinic and up the stairs to the recovery room.

"Oh Jake!" Dorothy exclaimed as she as down on the bed next to him. Jake looked at her.

"Don't worry about him Dorothy! He'll be up and giving shaves again soon." Loren stated. Colleen stood at the door with her hands folded together in front of her.

"Mr. Bray, Doctor Mike said Jake wasn't supposed to be up for a while." Colleen said. Dorothy looked at her.

"And she is right Colleen. He won't be up for a quite a while."

"Oh that's ridiculous! Why did we even ask Doctor Mike to come here? She doesn't know what she's doing!" Loren exclaimed and Dorothy rolled her eyes. Colleen walked down the stairs and left Loren and Dorothy upstairs with Jake. Reverend Johnson was in the clinic with Doctor Mike. They both looked at her.

"Colleen? You told me you were going to get a book. That was hours ago. What happened?" Reverend Johnson asked.

"I," Colleen paused and looked at Doctor Mike for help, "I was helping Doctor Mike with Jake Slicker's surgery." Reverend Johnson crossed his arms.

"So I heard, but you still should have come back to the school and at least told me what was going on. I'm your teacher Colleen. I expect you to tell me what's going on with you."

"Why didn't you remind me you had to get back to school Colleen?" Michaela asked.

"I don't know! I forgot, I'm sorry." Colleen responded.

"We still have about an hour until school ends Colleen. I expect you come with me now." Reverend Johnson stated. Colleen and Reverend Johnson walked out of the clinic and back over to the school. Colleen sat in her seat next to Becky. Colleen couldn't look up so she continued to look down at her hands.

"Where were you? Reverend Johnson kept asking Brian where he thought you could be. Brian said he didn't know. After a while, Brian suggested that maybe you were still at the clinic and that's when he went over to the clinic and found you." Becky said. Colleen looked up at her.

"I was helping Doctor Mike. I went to get my book and that's when Jake came in and needed surgery. I was helping her and I forgot about school." Colleen replied. The girls listened to Reverend Johnson talking about arithmetic.

[

After school Reverend Johnson asked Colleen to stay after and he talked to her about being late.

"I know that Doctor Quinn is your guardian, but I still need you to communicate with me Colleen. I'm your teacher." He said. Colleen looked at her feet. She scuffed her shoes on the ground.

"I know that. I told you I was sorry. Can I go?" Colleen asked and looked up at him.

"Yes, but next this happens I am going to have to send you home for a few days." Reverend Johnson said.

"What?" Colleen exclaimed.

"I'm sorry Colleen, I hate even having to say that; but I can't treat you any differently than I would any of the other students. Now, you're free to leave." Colleen walked outside and went all the way to the homestead. By the time she got there, Matthew, Ingrid, Michaela and Brian were there all talking and enjoying themselves. Colleen quietly put her books away and then went to help with dinner.

"What can I do to help Doctor Mike?" Colleen asked. Then she saw smoke coming off the food. Colleen nodded. "Now I think I know." Colleen laughed and walked over to the smoke. She coughed as she took the burnt food off the fire.

"Do we have to eat that?" Brian asked as he wrinkled his nose. Colleen chuckled.

"Only if you want to Brian. I'll help Doctor Mike to make something different." Colleen said. Michaela wrapped her arm around Colleen's shoulders and squeezed her.

"I don't know what I'd do without you Colleen. You help me in the clinic and with dinner for the family. You will make a wonderful wife someday. As well as a great doctor." Michaela said with a smile. Colleen sat at the table and smiled. She put her face in her hand and drifted off into a faraway thought.


	6. Brian

**A/N: This chapter is none other than Brian Cooper! The youngest of the Cooper/Quinn family and probably the cutest because he's got those big eyes and blonde hair. But I don't have to tell all of you what he looks like. =) This chapter takes place during Season Three. I realized I don't have a chapter for season three, four or six yet; so I plan to change that. **

Brian is the youngest of Charlotte's children. He was also in the room when his Ma died. Brian was six when he lost his Ma to a rattlesnake bite. It has been three years since and he has clung to Doctor Mike and Sully as well as his brother and sister through the entire process. It's hard to be the baby of the family and lose most of the family. Brian is a young man who loves to learn. He has loved being around Sully his entire life, so when Sully started hanging around the homestead a lot this thrilled young Brian. He was overjoyed when Michaela and Sully said they were getting married and now they're all just waiting for this wedding to take place.

"Brian, come on Brian." Colleen shook her brother for school. "Fine, stay in bed. Don't go to school. At least I won't have to tell Reverend Johnson why I didn't go to school today." Brian sat up and rubbed his eyes.

"What Colleen?" Brian asked. Colleen laughed and grabbed her school books. Her long blonde hair was loose and flowing as she swished around from Brian's bed and walked towards the table. Michaela was at the stove making breakfast.

"Can I help you Doctor Mike?" Colleen asked. Michaela looked up at her. Colleen laughed because of the bewildered look on the doctor's face. "Here, I'll make breakfast for Brian, why don't you go and get ready to head to the clinic?" Michaela walked over to the area for her room while Colleen started to make scrambled eggs. A few minutes later, Brian appeared at the table.

"What's for breakfast Colleen?" Brian asked excitedly. Colleen turned around and looked at him.

"Scrambled eggs." Colleen replied and then turned back to face the pan.

"Scrambled eggs again? Yuck. We have had scrambled eggs every day this week. I'm not hungry." Brian stated. Colleen took the eggs off the fire and put the pan on the table and chuckled at her little brother.

"Brian, you need to keep your strength up. You're a growing eight year old boy. Ma wouldn't be too pleased with me if I didn't feed you when she wasn't here." Colleen said. Brian nodded.

"I guess that's true." Brian took the spoon and got some eggs out of the pan and put them on his plate.

"Don't eat that too fast Brian. You really don't want to get sick or burn yourself." Colleen said.

"I won't Colleen. I've had eggs before." Brian took a big bite. It was warm inside his mouth, but it didn't burn him. He scarfed down the eggs and then went to grab his school books. Michaela walked over to him.

"Brian, do you want to walk to school from the clinic or do you want me to drop you off at Grace and Robert E's house so you can go with Anthony?" Michaela asked as she walked over to him.

"Anthony wasn't feeling well in school yesterday Ma, so he'll probably be in the clinic today and he won't be at school. So I'll just walk from the clinic. Brian put his plate in the sink. Michaela stood there.

"Grace didn't say anything yesterday about Anthony not feeling well." Michaela said.

"Well he was pretty sick Ma." Brian stated and then walked out the door. Michaela and Colleen climbed into the wagon with Brian. When they got into town, there were several people outside the clinic. Colleen looked at Michaela.

"Do you need me to stay here with you, Doctor Mike? There are an awful lot of people for you take care of by yourself." Colleen said. Michaela touched Colleen's shoulder.

"That's awfully sweet of you to ask Colleen, but I need you to go to school today. If you're going to be a doctor, all doctors must go to school as much as they can." Michaela smiled. Brian hopped off the back of the wagon and Colleen delicately climbed down with her textbooks.

"I'll race you Colleen!" Brian said.

"Okay." Colleen replied.

"What will you do for me when I beat you?" Brian asked. Colleen laughed.

"You're not going to beat me Brian because I'm going to beat you!" Colleen darted off towards the school house. Brian chased after her. Michaela stood beside the wagon and chuckled while she watched her children running towards the school house.

[

Out of breath, both Colleen and Brian rush up to touch the school building. Colleen is heading straight for the door, but doesn't see Reverend Johnson coming out and she smacks right into him.

"Colleen, are you alright? What are you doing?" He asked. Colleen stepped back and smiled at him.

"I'm sorry. Brian and I were just playing a game." Colleen replied. Brian touched the building.

"I won Colleen." Brian said with a smile. Colleen rushed into the school house after him.

"Hey you two! You're more grown than some of the others. Set a good example for them!" Reverend Johnson called out. Brian and Colleen both stopped. Colleen pulled some hair back from her mouth.

"I'm sorry Reverend Johnson."

"So am I." Brian looked down at the floor.

[

After school, Brian rushed to the clinic. When he went inside Michaela was reading a medical book. She looked up and smiled at him.

"Hi Brian. Can I do something for you?" Michaela asked.

"I'm going over to Mr. Bray's store to buy some candy, but then can I go see Anthony?" Brian asked.

"You are just full of energy today young man!" Michaela exclaimed. But she smiled. "Of course you can as long as Grace says it is okay."

"Okay." Brian ran out of the clinic and across the street to Bray's store. He ran in and rushed right into Dorothy Jennings. Dorothy gasped. "Oh Miss Dorothy, I'm so sorry." Brian exclaimed. Dorothy laughed.

"It's okay Brian. I'm quite alright. Now, I know that my lap wasn't where you were intending to go." Dorothy smiled. "So is there something I can help you with?"

"I'd like to get a quarter's worth of candy please." Brian said as he handed her the quarter.

"An entire quarter? Would your Ma approve of you eatin' that much candy?" Dorothy asked.

"Well, I'm sharing it with Anthony. He's not feeling good today."

"Oh I'm sorry to hear that." Loren walked over and saw Brian.

"What do you want boy? Get out of here." Loren exclaimed.

"Loren! Brian is a payin' customer! And even if he wasn't; I like havin' his company around here. It reminds me of when my boys were his age." Dorothy said.

"Oh sheesh." Loren looked between Dorothy and Brian. "Just do whatever you want." Loren started to walk out of the room.

"Loren!" Dorothy called after him. She sighed and turned to face Brian. She put a few extra pieces in the bag. "This is for Anthony since he's not feeling well. And for you being such a good friend to him." Dorothy smiled and Brian walked out of the store. He walked over to Grace's café. Grace was cooking lunch for the day.

"Grace?" Brian asked. Grace turned around and looked at him.

"Well hi Brian." Grace got down on his level. "What can I do for you today?"

"Can I go see Anthony?" Brian asked. Grace stood back up.

"I'm sorry Brian, but he's feeling awfully poorly today. I don't think he should have any visitors until he gets his strength up." Grace replied.

"Did you have Ma take a look at him?" Brian asked. Grace sighed.

"He's too weak to move him to the clinic. But when he gets where he can walk we're taking him where Doctor Mike can look at him. It's probably just the flu or something Brian. Don't you worry about him." Grace smiled.

"Well, I've got some candy for him. Miss Dorothy gave me some extra for him. Can I take it up to his room? I promise I won't stay." Brian said. Grace looked up at the sky and then looked back down at Brian.

"I guess you can do that. But don't stay too long. I'm not sure if what he's got is catching or not, ya here?" Grace said.

"Yes ma'am." Brian nodded and then darted for Grace and Robert E's house. He walked through the door and over to where Anthony was asleep. He opened up the bag Dorothy gave him and put some candy on the table. He looked at Anthony one last time before he walked outside. As he walked back to the clinic Brian thought about Anthony. Anthony always seemed to be sick. Would there be a time when he would die? He couldn't die so young could he? Brian knew that was something he'd have to ask Ma later when she got home.


	7. Chapter 7

**A/N: Hey everybody, this chapter may be a little unconventional but I need some help. Who better to ask than the readers? =) I have the family all down now, but which of the townspeople would you like to go first? I'm not sure which order to put the others in so if you'll help me to ease into the townsfolk. Who would you like to go first? This chapter will be deleted after I get my poll completed and I write the next chapter.. **

**thank you again… =)**

**~Doctor M. Quinn~ **


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